Facing High Turnover and Cultural Fit Issues: How Can We Retain Our Team and Justify Exits?

As an HR professional working in an Indian mid-level growing organization with a workforce of over 50 and under 80 employees, we have encountered a situation where we are experiencing a high number of exits and abrupt resignations.

Efforts to Maintain a Healthy Work Environment

We are implementing every possible measure to maintain a healthy work environment, including organizing employee benefit activities and conducting a six-month appraisal cycle. Despite our efforts, we are still facing unexpected exits and resignations. We invest in training resources for approximately 5-7 months, and once they have acquired the necessary technical skills and confidence, they choose to leave the organization.

Challenges with Notice Period and Cultural Fit

Additionally, there is a trend where individuals are unwilling to serve their notice period, as it has become a common mindset that everyone requests an early release, following examples of others who have succeeded in doing so. Some individuals have had to be terminated due to issues related to fitting into the company culture.

Seeking Support and Solutions

We are seeking support as we are unsure how to justify these situations and communicate a statement to the entire team to manage the situation effectively and retain our employees.

Dear member,

I wish you had provided a little more information about your company, such as the nature of your industry, the finished product, whether you are an employer or an employee, and if the latter, your designation.

If the employees are not even ready to serve the notice period, it shows they are desperate to quit their employment. You need to analyze the reasons for their desperation. Yes, some employees could be selfish and, at the altar of their self-interest, they could be throwing to the wind the requirement of a notice period. However, all quitting employees cannot be selfish.

Analyzing the Reasons for Employee Attrition

You can analyze the reasons for the abandonment of employment and try to identify the pattern behind it. Analyze the abandonment based on the length of service in the company, the age group, the designations, the departments, etc.

Identifying Problematic Departments

Mostly the problem of attrition is restricted to particular departments. If this is so, then find out whether the HOD is responsible for fostering the attrition.

Role of Leadership in Attrition

Sometimes the top boss is also responsible for increasing employee attrition. The unreasonable targets, payment of wages below the market standards, high-handedness in the administration, forming a clique and listening only to them, etc., are some of the reasons.

Calculating the Cost of Attrition

You can calculate the cost of employee attrition scientifically and present it to the management. Not many bosses know the negative side of employee attrition. We need to talk about costs more to those who understand only the language of money!

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Although abrupt departures might be difficult, they also present a chance to improve the team's cohesion and resilience. Assure the team of the organization's stability and future ambitions by first handling the matter openly and without disclosing any private information. In addition to building confidence, open communication helps allay worries and rumors.

Prioritize equitably transferring roles, providing team members with assistance, and acknowledging their efforts throughout this shift. Promote cooperation and offer tools to assist the group in handling the burden. Last but not least, take this opportunity to reaffirm the company's dedication to the development and welfare of its workforce, as this will help create a more resilient and cohesive team going forward.

Hi Dinesh and Somnath,

Thank you for sharing your valuable thoughts.

Seeking Support for Communication Strategy

We are an IT organization and would like to seek support on how we can communicate these issues to our current employees. Our goal is to ensure they are not adversely affected and to encourage a responsible work culture.

The abnormal quitting of jobs may be due to work culture or poor salary structure. Do you conduct exit interviews to understand the reasons why employees are leaving their jobs?

Improving Selection and Exit Procedures

One simple approach is to make the selection and exit procedures more rigorous. Notify all employees who have left without serving their notice period or have absconded, and consider deducting retention amounts from their final packages or obtaining indemnity bonds from them. It is essential to investigate the underlying reasons that are causing abrupt exits.

Understanding the Role of Exit Interviews

Exit interviews can provide insights into your organization's status by revealing what may be lacking from the perspective of departing employees. There may be various reasons for leaving, and it is not guaranteed that employees will be candid in sharing those reasons during the exit interview. It is advisable to engage in one-on-one discussions with these individuals to understand the exact factors influencing their decisions.

Analyzing Organizational Shortcomings

You need to analyze the shortcomings within your organization and determine the best course of action to address the situation. This process involves introspection and reflection.